Exposure-controlling structure for cameras



July 27, 1965 s. KIPER 3,196,771

EXPOSURE-CONTROLLING STRUCTURE FOR CAMERAS Filed March 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

GER!) KIPER July 27, 1965 G. KlPER EXPOSURE-CONTROLLING STRUCTURE FOR CAMERAS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1965 IN V EN TOR.

GER!) KIPER BY 7Z7ichal S- Sinker Z1119 N y July 27, 1965 G. KIPER EXPOSURE-CONTROLLING STRUCTURE FOR CAMERAS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fi led March 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

GERD KIPER Z? Zia/1a el Si gfirikel July 27, 1965 G. KIPER 3, ,77

EXPOSURE-CONTROLLING STRUCTURE FOR CAMERAS Filed March 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

GER!) KIPER United States Patent 3,196,771 EXPGSUREGNTRBLLTNG STRUCTURE FQR CAMERAS Gerri Kip r, Unterhaching, near Munich, Germany,

assignor to Agra Ahtiengesellschatt, Leverlrusen, Germany Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 267,433 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 23, 1962, A 352793, A 39,794 14 Claims. (*Ci. 95--64) The present invention relates to cameras.

More particularly, the present invention relates to exposure-controlling structure for cameras.

On most conventional cameras it is necessary to actuate at least a pair of adjusting elements in order to be able to adjust both the exposure time and the exposure aperture. This necessity of providing a pair of adjustments renders cameras inconvenient to operate, particularly for amateurs, and it had already been proposed to provide cameras with a single adjustable element which is capable of being actuated for the purpose of adjusting both the aperture and the exposure time. However, in cameras of this latter type there are certain disadvantages. For example, it is only possible to provide one set of combination of exposure times and apertures. In other words for each aperture setting there is only one possible exposure-time setting so that the range of possible use of the camera is greatly limited. Moreover, conventional structures of this type are undesirably complicated, costly, and space-consuming.

It is thus a primary object of the present invention to provide a camera which can have the exposure time and aperture settings made by adjustment of a single element but which at the same time avoids the above drawbacks.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a camera of the above type where, even though a single element is adjusted for the purpose of setting the exposure time and the aperture, nevertheless it is possible to provide for each of a series of exposure apertures more than one exposure time, so that the camera can be used under widely diiierent circumstances to photograph all types of subjects under all types of conditions.

It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide a structure of the above type which is exceedingly simple compact and which at the time requires only a minimum number of parts to be constructed with great precision.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a structure of the above type where at least part of the adjustments of both the exposure time and aperture can be made automatically or manually at the option of the operator.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of the above type which can be at least partly operated either manually or automatically and which at the same time does not require the operator to manipulate any special elements for the purpose of converting the structure from automatic to manual operation or from manual to automatic operation.

With these objects in view the invention includes, in a camera, a support means which includes a stationary wall located in a plane normal to the optical axis. A movable Wall is carried by the support means for movement relative to the stationtary wall of the support means. The camera also includes a diaphragm blade means and a connecting means which connects the diaphragm blade means to one of the above walls for movement relative thereto. A pin-and-slot means connects the diaphragm blade means to the other of the above walls and includes at least one slot of a predetermined curvature which will position the diaphragm blade means to provide an ex- Zi,l%,77l Patented July 27, 1965 posure aperture which is determined by the position of the movable wall relative to the stationary wall. Finally, an exposure-time setting means is carried by the movable wall for movement therewith and provides for each exposure aperture determined by the position of the movable wall a corresponding exposure time also determined by the position or" the movable wall.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the ap pended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

PEG. 1 is a partly sectional and partly diagrammatic view showing in elevation one possible embodiment of an exposure-controlling structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of a pair of diaphragm blades which are used in the embodiment of r i- 7 3 is a partly diagrammatic and partly sectional view of another embodiment of the invention which uses diaphragm blades constructed differently from those of FIG. 2 and which uses a control structure which is also constructed dilierently from that of FIG. 2;

i6. 4 is a partly diagrammatic, partly sectional front elevation showing a third embodiment of a structure according to the present invention, the embodiment of FIG. 4 being adapted to set the exposure time and aperture automatically as well as manually; and

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a structure capable of setting the exposure time and aperture both automatically and manually.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the structure illustrated therein includes a support means which includes the front wall 1 of the camera as well as the outer housing 2 of the objective, this outer tubular housing 2 being fixedly carried by the front Wall 11.. The tubular wall 2 is formed with a slot 3 through which extends an arm 4 which is fixed to and projects from a turnableor movable wall 5 which is supported by the support means for turning movement about the optical axis. The outer end of the arm 4 is located at the exterior of the objective housing 2 and fixedly carries a finger-piece 6 which is capable of being engaged by the operator, so that the parts i and 6 form a manually-engageable means which is fixed to the turnable wall 5 so that the operator can turn the latter, and this turnable wall 5 forms the single adjusting element which is positioned for the purpose of setting both of the exposure time and aperture in a manner described below.

The support means includes also an inner tube 7 through which light reaches the film when an unillustrated shutter is opened, and it is the exterior surface of the tube 7 which extends through the wall 5 to support the latter for turning movement about the optical axis.

An exposure-time setting means is carried by the movable wall 5 for movement therewith so that the exposure time will be determined by the position of the movable wall 5, and the exposure-time Setting means is illustrated as taking the form of an edge portion of the wall 5, at the outer periphery thereof, which has a predetermined curvature providing camming edges which will determine the exposure time according to the angular position of the wall 5. has, it will be seen that the camming edge 8 formed by the exterior periphery of the wall 5 has cur ed portions 8a, 81), Se, 8d and See, the several portions tla3e having curvatures and radial distances from the optical axis which will provide not only selected exposure times but also the possibility of bulb exposures according to which the exposure time is manually determined by the operator. The curved, camming edge portions 8a, 811, and 3c engage a pin 9 which is fixed to a conventional adjusting lever of a conventional retarding mechanism which is connected in a known way to an unillustrated conventional shutter for the purpose of controlling the exposure time. Thus, the camrning edge portions 8a, 8b, 80 will determine the distance of the pin 9 from the optical axis and will in this way determine, in a manner well known in the art, the exposure time. The curved portions dd and 3e cooperate with an element 10 of a bulb-exposure controlling lever which is also conventional and well known in the art. When the curved portion 8d confronts the element 1t), it is possible to move the element 1% in the direction of the arrow a toward the optical axis to a position nearer to the optical axis than when the curved edge portion Se confronts the element 10, so that only when the curved edge portion 8:! confronts the element 1% is it possible for the operator to provide bulb exposures in a manner described below. The curved portions 8a and 80 respectively form parts of a pair of circles of different diameters whose centers are in the optical axis, while the curved portion 81) merges into the curved portions 8a and Se and provides a gradual change from the exposure time provide by curved portion 8a to the exposure time provided by curved portion 30. The curved portion 8e extends along a circle whose center is in the optical axis and whose radius is sufiiciently large to prevent movement of the element 10 toward the optical axis so as to prevent bulb exposures while the curved portion 8d when it confronts the member 1t enables the latter to be moved in the direction a through a distance sufiicient to enable the operator to provide an exposure time in accordance with the length of time that the operator manually holds the shutter open.

The structure includes a blade mean-s the details of which are illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, the blade means includes a pair of diaphragm blades 17 and 1b which respectively are fixedly connected with pivot pins 19 and 20 supported for turning movement in openings formed in the wall 12, of the support means, this wall 12 being in a plane which is norm-a1 to the optical axis and being stationary so that the particular exposure time is determined by the position of the movable wall 5 relative to the stationary wall 12, and also the exposure aperture will be determined by the position of the wall 5 relative to the stationary wall 12, as will be apparent from the description below.

A pin-and-slot means connects the diaphragm blade means 17, 18 to the movable wall 5 for determining the position of the diaphragm blades according to the position of the movable wall 5, and in the particular example illustrated the pin-and-slot means includes a pair of pins 15 and 16 which are respectively fixed to the pair of blades 17 and 18 and which are respectively received in a pair of slots 13 and 14 which are respectively formed in the movable wall 5. It will be noted that while the slots 13 and 1 t are of identical configurations they are oppositely positioned with respect to each other and thus the turning of the wall 5 will result in equal and opposite movements of the blades 17 and 18 about the axes of the pins 19 and Ztl, respectively, as indicated by the arrows c and d in FIGS. 1 and 2. The slot 13 is provided with curved portions 13a, 13b, 13c, while the slot 14 is provided with corresponding curved portions 14a, 14b, 14c, and each of these portions of the slots 13 and 14 is capable of positioning the corresponding diaphragm lblade throughout a given range of positions so that with these slots 13 and 14 it is possible to provide in each of the slot portions a series of apertures which may be the same as those of other slot portions but which will provide a different sequence in the changeover from one aperture to another, and in addition the curved portions of the slots 13 and 14 are so positioned with respect to the exposure-time setting means formed by the periphery of the movable wall 5 that a certain range and sequence of exposure apertures will be provided for a curved portion of the peripheral edge of the wall 5 with different ranges and sequences being provided respectively for the different camming edge portions which determine the exposure time, so that in this way it is possible to provide for each of a series of exposure apertures more than one exposure time, as Will be apparent from the description below. Thus, when the operator turns the wall 5 in the direction of the arrow b shown in FIG. 1, the slot portions 13a, 14a, and 13c, respectively cooperate with the pins 15 and 16 to respectively turn the blades 17 and 18 in the directions c and d, while when the pins 15 and 16 are respectively engaged by the slot portions 13b, 1411) the blades 17 and 18 will be turned respectively in directions opposite to the directions 0 and d. It will be noted that in the position shown in FIG. 1 the openings 21 and 22 of the blades 17 and 1 8 overlap each other to the greatest extent so that the greatest aperture is provided, and thus when the blades 17 and 13 respectively turn in the directions of the arrow c and d the extent to which the openings 21 and 22 overlap diminishes so that the exposure time becomes smaller, and of course when the blades 17 and 18 turn in the directions opposite to that indicated by the arrows c and d, respectively, the exposure aperture will become larger. It should be noted that it is not essential that the slots and camming edges which determine the aperture and exposure times be formed in a single flat plate. In the event that is is re quired by the particular structure of the shutter, it is also possible to provide these slots and camming edges in plate portions which are fixed to each other for turning movement as a unit about the optical axis but which are displaced with respect to each other along the optical axis and respectively located in planes normal to the optical axis.

In order to enable the operator to provide selected exposures, a scale 23 is mounted on the front Wall 1 of the camera, and the finger-piece 6 carriers an index 24 which is adapted to be aligned with selected graduations of the scale 23. The scale 23 is provided with three sections 23a, 23b, 230 which are respectively positioned so as to provide proper indications for the corresponding angular positions of the slots 13 and 14% and the peripheral edge of the movable wall 5. The section 23a of the scale 23 provides graduations indicating various apertures from .8 to 16, and this section includes the symbol 3 for indicating that bulb exposures can be made with this portion of the scale. The intermediate section 23:!) of the scale 23 carries graduations indicating light values from 8 to 17, and the remaining section 23c of the scale 23 again includes graduations indicating apertures from 2.8 to 16, and this section of this scale carries a symbol indicating that this section is to be used for making exposures with flash illumination.

If, for example, it is desired to make a bulb exposure with an aperture of S, then the operator will simply turn the wall 5 in the direction of the arrow [2 of FIG. 1 until the index 2 is aligned with the graduation E5 in the bulbexposure section 23a of the scale 23, and during this turning of the wall 5 the portions 13a and 14a of the slots 13 and 14 will cooperate with the pins 15 and 16 to turn the blades 17 and 18 in the directions of the arrows c and at until the aperture provided by the blades corresponds to the value (3. Then the operator will actuate the shutter release, and the shutter will remain open as long as the operator manually engages the shutter-release plunger.

During the turning of the wall 5 in this manner the circular edge portion tin rides along the pin 9 without moving the latter so that the exposure time remains unchanged and in the particular example the exposure time will be set in this position to provide the shortest exposure time of, for example, sec. Of course, since the operator will manually provide an exposure time which is much longer than this extremely short exposure time, the particular setting of the pin 9 at this time will have no iuii once on the exposure time. As long as the index 24 cooperates with the section 23a of the scale 23, the curved edge portion 8d of the wall 5 will confront the element 1d so that it will be possible for the operator to manually maintain the shutter open for as long as the operator desires.

Thus, the curved edge portion 3:! of the wall 5 and the slot portions 13a and 14a thereof enable the operator to provide any manually-determined exposure time with any selected aperture within the given range of apertures which the camera can provide.

If the operator turns the wall 5 through such a distance that the index 24 moves beyond the scale section into the section 23b, the curved edge portion 812 will reach the pin 9, and as the operator continues to turn the wall 5 in the direction of the arrow b the exposure times will become gradually longer as the curved edge portion 8b rides along the pin Q. The angular position and length of the curved edge portion 8b is such that this curved edge portion will engage the pin 9 as long as the index 24 cooperates with the intermediate scale section 23b, and at this time it is the curved edge portion be which will confront the element it) so that the operator cannot make a bulb exposure. Thus, it is at this time that the stment of the position of the pin 9 will set reta mechanism to control the exposure time and automa" determine the exposure time. Therefore as the opera-tor continues to turn the wall 5 through the range where the index 24 cooperates with the scale 23:) the exposure times will become gradually longer whil at the same time the slot portions 131': and 14b cooperate with the pins E5 and 16 to turn the blades 17 and 13 in directions opposite to those indicated by the arrows c and d, respectively, and thus at this time the apertures will become gradually larger also. As a result there is provided while the 2d cooperates with the scale section 23b gradually longer exposure times cooperating with gradually larger exposure apertures, and these combinations of exposure times and apertures will provide different light values as indicated by the graduations in the intermediate scale section 23b. T he longest exposure time which is provided at the end of the curved edge portion 811 which is most distant from the curved edge portion he may be, for example, sec. Thus, the curved edge portion 8b in combination with the slot portions 13b and Mb enable the operator to provide continuously changing exposure times in combination with continuously changing apertures so as to provide a selected light value as indicated by the scale section 23!).

When the operator turns the wall 5 to a position which provides cooperation between the index 2 3 and the scale section 230, the curved camming edge portion 80 of the exposure-time setting means will engage the pin 9, and this curved portion 80 is located along a circle whose radius is such that the pin 9 will be maintained at a position providing an exposure 'time of sec., which is an exposure time suitable for fiash illumination. It will be noted that at this time also the curved edge portion 3e confronts the element 1% to prevent bulb exposures from being made. Moreover, the slot portions 13c and his will respectively cooperate with the pins and 16 at this time so as to control the positions of the blades 17 and 18, and the curvature of these slot portions 130 and 140 is such that as the operator continues to turn the wall 5 in the direction of the arrowb the blades it! and 5.3 will again turn in the direction of the arrows c and d, respectively, so that the size of the aperture will become gradually smaller and it will be noted that the aperture graduations extend from 2.8 at the beginning of the scale section 23c to the aperture 16 at the end of the section, so that at this time it is the curved edge portion 8c and the slot portions 130 and Me which enable the operator to provide for one particular exposure time which is suitable for exposures with flash illuminations at selected apertures.

According to the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIG. 3, there is also provided a turnable Wall 31 which is the only element which requires adjustment in order to determine the exposure, this turnable wall 31 being located within the objective housing and supported by the inner tube 32 thereof for turning movement about the optical axis. The outer peripheral edge of the wall 31 again is suitably shaped so as to form an exposure-time setting means, and this outer edge includes the sections 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d and 33m. The sections Eda-33c cooperate with a pin 34 fixed to a turnable lever of a conventional retarding mechanism so as to control the exposure time of a conventional unillustrated shutter, while the curved sections 33:! and 33a cooperate with the element 35 of a bulb-exposure controlling lever. These curved sections 33a-33e at the periphery of the movable wall 31 are shaped in substantially the same way as the sections 8a-8e of FIG. 1. However, it will be noted that in the case of FIG. 3 the curved edge portion 33a is located nearer to the optical axis than the curved edge portion 33c, so that the curved edge portion 33a will provide the longest exposure time of for example & sec., while the curved edge portion 33c will provide a shortest exposure time of, for example, sec. Also, it will be noted that the curved edge portions 33@ and 33d have their positions reversed as compared to the positions of the curved edge portions 3d and 8e.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the blade means takes the form of a pair of diaphragm blades 43 and 41 which are again connected by a suitable connecting means to the stationary wall of the support means, but While the connecting means 1% and 2% of FIGS. 1 and 2 connects the blades 17 and 13 to the stationary wall 12 for turning movement relative thereto, the connecting means of FIG. 3 connects the blades iii and 41 to the stationary wall for bodily shitting movement relative thereto. For this purpose the stationary wall fixedly carries a pair of guides 42 and 13 between which sections of the blades and 41 are located so that in this way the blades are guided for slidable vertical movement, as viewed in FIG. 3, with respect to the optical axis. In the embodiment of FIG. 3 also there is a pin-and-slot means interconnecting the movable wall 31 with the diaphragm blade means, but in this embodiment it is the blades themselves which are provided with the slots while the movable Wall 31 carries the pins. Thus, it will be seen that the movable wall 31 fixedly carries pins 36 and 37 respectively received in slots 38 and 39 of the blades 4t) and 41, and these slots 38 and 39 again have sections 38124980 and 39a-39c which are angularly positioned with respect to the curved edge portions at the periphery of the wall 31 in such a Way that when certain curved slot portions engage the pins 36 and 37 certain curved edge portions of the wall 31 will engage the pin 34, and in the same way sections of a scale 49 will cooperate with an index 43 of a finger-piece 47 which is fixedly carried by an arm 46 of the wall 31, this arm 46 extending through a slot formed in the outer objective housing 3% The portions of the blades 44 and 41 which are respectively located betwen the guides 42 and 43 are respectively formed with V-notches 44 and 45 which overlap each other in accordance with the vertical positions of the blades to provide diiferent apertures, as is apparent from FIG. 3. The curved slot portions 38a, 38c and 39a, 39c are curved in such a way that when the pins 36 and 37 engage these slot portions while the wall 31 is turned in the direction of the arrow e the blades id and 41 will respectively be shifted in the direction of thearrows f and g, so that the aperture will become larger, While when the slot portions 381') and engage the pins 3:; and 3'7 during the turning of the Wall 31 in the direction of the arrow e the blades 4d and it will respectively move in opposite directions to provide gradually smaller exposure apertures.

The scale 49 is again divided into three sections 49a49c, but the section 4% is provided with aperture graduations Z adapted to be used with flash illumination while the intermediate section 4912 is provided with light value graduations and the section 49c is provided with aperture graduations and is used when making bulb exposures.

In order to make an exposure with flash illumination the operator will manually turn the wall 31 in order to locate the index it; in alignment with a selected graduation of the scale section This time the curved edge portion 33a will ride along the pin 34 without moving the latter toward and away from the optical axis and maintaining the longest exposure time of, for example, sec., and at the same time the pins 36 and 37 will move along the slot portions 355a and 3%, respectively, so as to provide gradually larger exposure apertures, and when a selected aperture is reached the operator will make the exposure with the flash illumination.

If the exposure is to be made according to a light value which is determined from a hand-held exposure meter, for example, then the operator will align the index 43 with a selected light value of the intermediate scale section 4911, and as long as the index 48 is aligned with the intermediate scale section 491), the curved edge portion 33b will engage the pin 34 to control the exposure time and the pins 36 and 37 will ride in the curved slot portions 38b and 3%, respectively. It will be noted that as the wall 31 is turned in the direction of the arrow e While the curved edge portion 33b engages the pin 34, this pin 34- will be displaced away from the optical axis so as to provide gradually shorter exposure times, and at the same time the plates or blades ill and ill will move in directions opposite to the arrows f and g, respectively, to provide gradually smaller apertures, so that at this time the structure will provide predetermined combinations of apertures and exposure times both of which become gradually smaller. When the end of the edge portion 33b most distant from the edge portion 33a reaches the pin 34 the shortest exposure time of, for example, 1 see. will be provided.

When the operator places the index 3 opposite the scale section 49c, the curved edge portion 33c will be in engagement with the pin 34, and this curved edge portic-n 33c extends along a circle whose center is in the optical axis and maintains the pin 34 at the position providing the shortest exposure time. However, the movement of the wall Ell at this time will cause the pins 36 and 3'7 to ride along along the slot portion 33a and Tide again moving the blades oil and ll in the direction of the arrows f and g so as to increase the apertures and it will be seen that as the index 48 moves in the direction of the arrow e along the scale section 490 the graduations of this latter scale indicate gradually larger exposure apertures. At this time the curved edge portion 33d at the periphery of the wall 31 confronts the element 35 so that the operator can shift the latter inwardly toward the optical axis in order to make a bulb exposure with any one of the diaphragm settings indicated in the scale 390.

Thus, it will be seen that with the embodiment of PEG. 3 also there are three distince choices for the type or" exposure controls desired. With both embodiments it is possible to provide any one of a series of selected apertures either with bulb exposure or with an expos re time suitable for flash illumination, and in addition it is possible to provide a set of exposure times and apertures which will correspond to the light values indicated by the intermediate scale sections. Of course, the indicated set tings of exposure time and aperture are only by way of example and also the manner in which the apertures and exposure times change is also illustrated only by way of example. However, it is preferred to provide at the end of one of the ranges and at the beginning of the next range exactly the same exposure time and aperture so that in this way the various camming edge portions and slot portions can be located directly next to each other in a minimum amount of space. Ii ioreover, when using the intermediate scale sections it is not at all essential to adjust the apertures and exposure times simultaneously, and

instead it is possible, for example, to gradually increase or decrease the exposure time while the aperture remains unchanged and then to change the aperture while the exposure time remains unchanged, suitable light values for such an arrangement being indicated by the graduations of the intermediate scale sections.

it will be noted that with the embodiment of FIG. I it is only the wall 5 which is provided with the camming edges which determine the exposure time as well as with the curved slot portions which determine the exposure apertures, so that only the element 5 need be constructed with precision. in the case of PEG. 3, however, the blades 4i? and 41 must in any event be precisely constructed in order to cooperate properly with the guides 42 and 43, so th t in this case it is preferred to provide the slots 38 and in the blades inasmuch as it is the blades which are constructed pr cisely in this embodiment, and of course in addition the curved edge at the periphery of the wall 31 is also precisely constructed.

Referring to PEG. 4, there is shown therein a support means which includes the front wall fltlfi of the camera, this front wall carrying the objective housing 1&2 within which is located tr e movable wall MP3 which forms the single adjusting element of this embodiment for determining the exposure. An inner tube lltld of the objective assembly extends through a central opening of the wall 1% to support the latter for turning movement. The exterior edge portion of the wall 1J3 again is provided with a curvature enabling this edge to form an exposure-time setting means, and thus it will be seen that the exterior edge 165 or" the wall Hi3 includes the portions lltliia, ltlSb, llllSc, dildo, Hide, 1% and 165g. The edge portions lil5a-ltlc respectively engage the pin 166 of an adjustable lever of a retarding mechanism which in a well known manner controls the exposure time which will be provided by an unillustrated and purely conventional shutter. The curved edge portions ltlfid, liiSe and ltlSg cooperate with the element 1'97 of the known bulb-exposure structure. The curved edge portions lilSa and N51) are curved in such a way that when the wall 1&3 is turned in the direction of the arrow 2, these curved edge portions llllfia and ltldb will cooperate with the pin 1% to provide any exposure time between the longest exposure time of, for example, & sec. and the shortest exposure time of, for example, 3 sec. The curved edge portions llilfic, 1il5d, a and respectively form parts of circles of different diameters Whose centers are respectively in the optical axis. The section 1650 is arranged so that it will maintain the pin ms in a position in which it will provide a constant exposure time suitable for flash exposure, this exposure time being for example, 1 sec. The sections lilSa' and 195g are so arranged that when they confront the element 1%? they will prevent the element 1W7 from being moved toward the optical axis so as to prevent bulb exposures from being made, while the curved edge portion 105@ has a radius small enough to permit the element it to be moved toward the optical axis to provide bulb exposures when the curved edge portion W52 confronts the element M97, and thus at this time it will be possible for the operator to maintain the shutter open as long as the operator maintains the shutter-release plunger 144 depressed.

The embodiment of FIG. 4 includes a pair of diaphragm blades identical with those shown in FIG. 2, and with this embodiment the support means includes the stationary wall 116 which is parallel to the movable wall 113 and which is in a plane normal to the optical axis, the blades 112 and 113, which are respectively identical to the blades 17 and i3 described above fixedly carrying the pivot pins 1M and which turn in suitable bores of the stationary wall lid, and in addition the blades .12 and 113 fixedly carry pins lit) and 111 which are respectively received in the control slots 1% and it which are respectively formed in the movable wall 163. The control slot is provided with five curved portions l-fillmlilfie, while the identical and oppositely arranged slot 169 has the live portions lli9a-ltl9e. The blades 112 an 113 are respectively formed with openings identical with the openings 21 and 22 described above. The portions lllk'ib, and 19 3c, 1%92 of the slots 16% and 1% are so shaped that when th wall turns in the direction of the arrow 2 the pins 11-3 and 111 turn the blades in the dir ctions of the arrows x and y shown in FIG. 4, and thus at this time the exposure aperture will become smaller, while the urved portions llMc and lit-dc will during turning of the wall 1% in the direction of the arrow 2: provide opposite turning of the blades to increase the size of the ap rture. The curved portions lbda, ltlkz and read, 1%9d respectively extend along circles whose centors are in the optical so that when the pins 11 and 111 are located in these portions of the slots there will be no movement of the blades 112 and A return spring 119 is connected at one end to a pin 12% which is fixedly carried by the wall 1693 and the other end of the spring 119 fixed to a sationary pin 121 carried by the wall 116, so that the spring 119 urges the wall 16 3 to turn in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 2,. The wall carries arcuate rib 122 which engages and guides the spring 1191 so that this spring cannot engage the blades.

In order to provide for automatic positioning of the vall 1% according to the lighting conditions, the wall 11% carries a pin 1242 which extends parallel to the optical axis through a slot which is formed in the stationary wall 1.1.44? 11*, this slot 123 extending along a circle whose center is in the optical axis so that as the wall turns about the optical axis the pin 1% which is fixed to the wall 1% will simply move along the slot 123. The pin 124- is locatcd in the path of movement of a projection 12 5 which is d to and extends from an elongated rod 12% which is guided for vert'cal movement in the direction or the arrow w. This rod 125 fixedly carries a scanning p 127 which has a stepped scanning edge which cooperates with the turnable pointer of a galvanorneter 129 which is connected electrically to a photosensitive element such as a photocell, for example, so that the pointer 12% assumes an angular position determined by the lighting conditions and of course the extent to which the rod 12-5 can r'ove down will be determined by engagement of the scar ng edge of the plate 127 with the pointer 12%, so that in t is way the extent of downward movement of the rod 126 is also determined by the li hting conditions. Thus, during downward movement of th rod the proicction will engage the pin 1' and will turn movable wall 1% to an angular position which is deterruined by the li hting conditions, assuming that the operator chooses to have the exposure automatically determined in. the manner described below. A spring ice is connected at one to a stationary and at its opposite end to ano proicction of the rod for urging the latter downwardly in the direction of the arrow w. A second rod 129 extends parallel to rod 12% and is also gui= l for vertical movement, and a spring 136 which is stronger than the spring urges the rod 12% back to the illustrated rest position shown in FIG. 4, this rod 129 carrying a finger-piece 131 capabe of being engaged by the operator so that the operator can move the rod 129' downwardly in opuosition to the spring 13h. When the rod or finger; ce is released the spring 1% returns the rod 129' to the position illustrated in PEG. 4, and a projection on the top of the rod 129' engages the underside of the projection of rod 126 to which th spring is connected, so that in this way the stronger spring compels the rod 125 to assume the position illustrated in MG. 4- in opposition to the spring 123, and of course in this rest position the scanning plate 127 is spaced from the pointer 12% so that this pointer can assume whatever angular position is called for by the lighting conditions. When the operator engages the finger-piece 131 to move the rod 129 downwardly, tie spring 123 will be free to move the rod 126 in the direction of the arrow w.

In order to rovide for manual positioning of the movable wall 1% of PEG. 4, a manually-engageable means is also connected to the Wall 1 33, and in this embodiment the nianually-engageable means takes the form of a lever 133 which is pivotally supported by a pin 132 which is fixed to the wall 1%. A spring 13 3 is coiled about the pin 132 and has one end engaging a pin 135 which is also fixed to the wall 103, while the other end of the spring 134 engages a surface portion 133a of the lever 133, and thus the spring 134 urges the lever 133 to turn in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow v in FIG. 4. The end portion of the spring 134 which engages the surface 133a is formed with a substantially U-shaped section 134a which receives a pin 1% which is also fixed to the movable wall 193, and the lever 133 is formed with a curved notch 13'? aligned with the pin 136 and extending along a circle whose center is in the axis of the pin 132, so that the operator can turn the lever 133 in opposition to the spring 134 in the direction of the arrow v until the inner end of the notch 3,37 engages the pin 136. The lever 133 fixedly carries a pin 13% which extends parallel to the optical axis and which serves both as a guide member and as a detent member, as will be apparent from the description below. In the rest position of the parts shown in FIG. 4-, the pin 13:? of the lever 132? is located at the entrance end of an elongated curved slo 135 which is formed iii the stationary Wall 116, and this slot 139 extends along a circle whose center is in the optical axis. However, when the operator turns the lever 133 in the direction or" the arrow v, the pin 138 will become aligned with a second curved slot 141 formed in the plate and also located along a circle whose center is in the optical axis, and the outer edge of the slot 14-1 is in the form of teeth 1% which act as detent elements to cooperate with the pin 135 for maintaining the lever 133 and thus the movable wall 1113 in manually selected angular positions.

The lever 133 also carries an index 142 which cooperates with the scale 143 carried by the front wall 131 of the camera, and the scale 143 carries the graduation A which indicates the location in which the index 142 shoul be placed when the camera is to be operated automatically by the light-responsive structure described above and shown at the upper right portion of FIG. 4-. The scale 14-3 has a section 143a including graduations which indicate light values, an intermediate section 14% having a series of graduations indicating aperture sizes and also carrying the symbol for bulb exposures, and finally a section 143C also provided with graduations indicating aperture sizes and carrying a symbol indicating exposures with flash illumination.

In order to automatically determine the exposure, the index 142. is aligned with the graduation A, as indicated above, and the operator depresses the rod 29 in opposition to the spring 130 so that the rod 126 can follow the downward movement of the rod 129', the rod 126 at this time being moved by the spring 128, and this movement of the rod 126 in the direction of the arrow w will continue until the scanning edge of the scanning plate 127 engages the pointer 123a of the galvanorneter 129. The downward movement of the rod 126 is transmitted through its projection to the pin 124 so that the latter is displaced along the slot 123 and of course the movable Wall 103 is angularly turned in the direction of the arrow 1 at this time, the spring 128 of course being stronger than the spring 119. The initial turning of the movable Wall 193 from the position shown in FIG. 4 causes the slot portions 198a and 10% of the wall 103 to move relative to the pins 110 and 111, and simultaneously the curved portion 105 of the wall 103 moves along the exposure-time determining pin 106. Moreover, the pin 13% of the lever 133 will at this time enter into the slot 139 to an extent greater than that indicated in FIG. 4, so that even it the operator should press the lever 133 at this time the pin 133 will cooperate with the inner edge of the slot 139 to prevent turning or" the lever 133. Moreover, the end of the slot 139 which is distant from the pin 138 in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 4 limits the extent to which wall 103 can be turned during automatic operation of the structure. During these initial operations there is no influence either on the exposure time or on the aperture. However, as soon as the slot portions 1118b and 111% reach the pins 110 and 111 during the continued turning of the wall 103 in the direction of the arrow z, the diaphragm blades 112 and 113 start to turn in the directions of the arrows x and y of FIG. 4 so as to gradually reduce the size of the aperture. At the same time the curved edge portion 105a of the wall 1113 moves along the pin 1% so as to adjust the exposure time, and thus at this time the continued turning of the wall 1113 gradually reduce both the aperture and the exposure time. Inasmuch as the exposure time and aperture are controlled by camming edges it is possible to provide combinations of exposure time and aperture which will match the individual light values. For example, as was indicated above, instead of providing an arrangement where the aperture and exposure time both are reduced simultaneously it is possible to provide an arrangement where one or the other of these factors is initially influenced and then the remaining factor is adjusted. Thus, the slots 108 and 109 and the curved edge portion 1354: can be provided with a curvature which will either initially reduce the exposure time while the aperture remains constant and then during the latter part of the turning of the wall 103 at this time reduce the aperture while the exposure time remains constant, or it is possible to first reduce the aperture and then the exposure time.

The automatic setting is terminated as soon as the scanning edge of the scanning plate 127 engages the pointer 129a. The only additional operation is the manual depression of the plunger 144 in order to trip the shutter so as to make the exposure. Of course, when the light-responsive means 12 1-129 determines the exposure, it is possible to read the light value of this automatically-determined exposure on the scale 143a since the index 142 will be automatically positioned in alignment with the automatically-provided light value.

After the exposure has been made the operator will release the finger-piece 131 so that the spring 130 will return the rod 129' to its rest position, and at this time the projection on the top end of the rod 129 will engage the projection at the top end of the rod 126 to return the latter in opposition to the spring 128 to the rest position illustrated in FIG. 4, and in this way the spring 11% will be capable of returning the Wall 1193 to its starting position. In this initial position of the parts the aperture has its largest size and the exposure time has its longest duration. It will be noted that the entrance ends of the slots 139 and 141 communicate with each other at a radial slot portion formed in the plate 116, and this substantially radial slot portion at the entrance ends of the arcuate slot portions 131 and 1411 engages the pin 138 to limit the turning of the Wall 103 by the spring 119 in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow z.

In the event that it is desired to manually set the exposure time and aperture, the operator will turn the lever 133 in the direction of the arrow v until the end of the notch 137 engages the pin 136, and in this way the pin 138 is aligned with the slot 141, and then the lever 133 is turned in the direction of the arrow z so as to displace the pin 138 along the slot 141 and simultaneously turn the wall 103 to provide in a manual manner the same series of settings which can be provided automatically in the manner described above. If the index 142 is at this time aligned with the light value 8 of the scale section 143a, the wall 1113 has been turned through an angular distance sufficient to have displaced the slot portions 108a and 109a through their entire length with respect to the pins 110 and 111 and also the entire curved edge portion 1115 has been displaced with respect to the pin 1% so that the pin 1% is now at the beginning of the curved edge portion 10% while the pins 111 and 111 are at the beginning of the curved slot portions 1615b and 111%. The bulb-exposure controlling element 1197 is however still confronted by the curved edge portion d, as was the case during automatic setting, so that a bulb exposure cannot be made. Continued turning of the wall 1113 will continuously reduce the size of the aperture and will also continuously shorten the exposure time, the slot portions 10817 and 10% and the curved edge portion 105a producing these results at this time due to manual turning of the wall 103 in the same way that these setting were obtained during automatic turning of the wall 1113. When the index 142 is located in alignment with the selected light value the lever 133 is released and the spring 134 urges the lever in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow v until the pin 138 engages one of the teeth 1 56 to cause the detent structure to releasably hold the wall 1113, in opposition to the spring 119, in the selected angular position.

Of course, instead of providing settings according to light values, it is possible to provide exposures with the scale section 1431] where bulb-exposures will be made with the aperture selected according to the alignment of the index 14-2 with one of the graduations of the scale section 143:). When the index 142 reaches the scale section 14%, the slot portions 1613c and 111% respectively reach the pins 111) and 111 so that the continued turning of the wall 1'93 in the direction of the arrow 2: at this time gradually increases the size of the aperture. 01 course, at this time the curved edge portion 15% will confront the element 197 so that the operator can depress the plunger in order to maintain the shutter open as long as desired, and during this period the curved edge portion 1195b will ride along the pin 1% to cause the exposure time to become gradually longer, but these exposure times are such a small fraction of the time which is manually provided by depression of the plunger 14- 1 that they have no influence on the duration of the bulb exposure.

As soon as the index 14?. reaches the scale section 1 33c the wall 1113 is turned through a very small angle in order to displace the entire curved slot portions 166d and 11 past the pins 111 and 111, and the slot portions 1Se and 113% reach these pins when the index 142 reaches the initial graduation 2.8 of the scale section 1433c. The continued turning of the plate 1% in the direction of the arrow 1 at this time will cause the aperture to become gradually smaller. At the same time the curved edge portion 105:: of the Wall 163 rides along the pin 1% and maintains the latter at a constant radial distance from the optical axis so that the exposure time remains unchanged at its longest value of, for example, 1/30 sec., which is an exposure time suitable for exposures With flash illuminu tion, and the size of the aperture during such flash illumination is selected simply by aligning the index 142 with a selected graduation of the scale section 1 130. At this time the curved edge portion 1t35g of the Wall 1113 will confront the element 1157 so that it is not possible to make a bulb exposure.

Thus, with the embodiment of PEG. 4 it is possible to provide three different types of controls, and in one of the possible types of controls, according to which settings are made according to light values, it is possible to provide the controls either manually or automatically according to the lighting conditions.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 includes a movable wall 154) located Within the objective housing 151 and supported for turning movement on the inner tube 152. The housing 151 is fixedly carried by the front wall of the camera. The wall 151) is provided with diaphragm blade controlling slots 153 and 154 which also have the liv curved portions 15361-1536 and 15461-1546, and these slots have precisely the same curvatures as the slots 1% and 1% of the embodim nt of FIG. 4. Moreover the movable wall 151? is provided at its outer edge with an exposure-time setting means formed by the curvature of the outer edge of the wall 150, and the edge 1% has a curvature which is identical with that of the edge 1535 of the wall 1%, so that the exposure time is set with the embodiment of FIG. 5 in exactly the same way as with the embodiment of FIG. 4. The edge 155 is divided into sections Eda-155g which respectively correspond to the sections 1ti5a.1ti5g of the movable wall 193. The slots 153 and 154 respectively receive the pins 11d and 111 of the diaphragm blades 112 and 113 which are identical with and controlled in the same way as the diaphragm blades of FIG. 4. Furthermore, the movable wall 150 fixedly carries a pin 124 corresponding to the pin 124- of FIG. 4 and being identical therewith and actuated in the same way by the projection 125 of the light-responsive means described above and shown in PEG. 4. Thus, in all of these respects the embodiment of FIG. 5 is identical with that of FIG. 4.

In order to manually determine the exposure time and aperture settings, a manually engageable means is operatively connected to the movable wall 159, but in the embodiment of FIG. 5 this manually engageable means takes the form of a lever 156 which is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 157 to an adjusting ring 158 which is supported for turning movement about the exterior of the objective housing 151. A spring is coiled about a pin 15% which is carried by the support ring 153, and one leg of th spring 16% engages a projection 161 which is fixedly carried by the adjusting ring 158, while the other leg of the spring 16% engages the surface 156a of the lever 155 and thus urges the lever 156 to turn in the direction of the arrow 1 about the pin 157. The lever 156 is provided with a projection 162 which carries a pin 1&3 which acts as a locking or detent pin, and this pin is located, in the position of the parts shown in FIG. 5, in the radial end portion 1641a of the arcuate slot 164 which extends along a circle whose center is in the optical axis and which is formed in the stationary wall 165 of the support means, the movable wall 15% being turnable with respect to the stationary wall 165. The outer edge of the slot 1&4 forms detent or locking teeth 166 which cooperate with the pin 1-63 in a manner described below. By manual turning of the lever 156 in opposition to the spring ldtl in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow t, the pin 163 extends into a notch formed in an arm 168 which is integral with and projects radially from the movable wall 15%. When the pin 153 is in this latter notch of the arm 16%, the pin 163 has been displaced through the radial end portion of the slot 164 into alignment with the arcu ate portion thereof so that it the operator now turns the lever 15% in the direction of the arrow 2 the wall 15% will also turn in the direction of the arrow z while the pin 163 moves along the slot 164. The stationary wall 165 of the support means is also formed with an arcuate slot 167 which corresponds to the slot 123 and along which the pin 124 is capable of moving freely during turning of the wall 156 either manually or automatically. Moreover, the stationary wall 165 is formed with openings which form bearings for the pivot pins 114 and 115 of the blades 12 and 113, respectively.

As was the case with the embodiment of FIG. 4, a return spring 119 is operatively connected to the movable wall 15% to turn the latter back to the illustrated rest position where the pin 124 engages the upper end of the slot 167, and of course it will be noted that in the embodiment of FIG. 4 also the pin 124 is located adjacent the upper end of the slot 123 to limit the turning of the plate 1%. The spring 119 is fixed at one end to a pin 169 which is fixedly carried by the wall 156 and its opposite end to a pin 170 which is fixedly carried by the stationary wall 165, and this stationary wall carries the spring-guiding rib 122 which prevents the spring 11% from engaging the diaphragm blades, as mentioned above.

The lever 156 carries an index 171 which cooperates with the scale 172 fixedly carried by the front wall of the camera, and this scale 172 carries the graduation A for indicating the position of the parts for automatic operation, this graduation being located at one end of the scale section 172a which is provided with graduations indicating light values. Next to the section 172a, the scale 1'72 is provided with the section 17% carrying graduations which indicate aperture sizes and carrying the symbol which indicates that this is the scale portion to be used for bulb exposures, and the scale section 17% is followed by a scale section 1720 also carrying graduations indicating aperture sizes and a symbol indicating that this is the scale section which is to be used for flash exposures.

In order to make automatic settings with the lightresponsive structure described above, the light-responsive structure is operated in the same way so that the projection will move in the direction of the arrow w and will thus turn the movable wall with respect to the stationary wall ldd through an angular distance determined by the lighting conditions, and thus the exposure time and aperture will be automatically set in the manner described above in connection with FIG. 4. At this time the ring 158 remains stationary and the arm 16% moves past the pin 163 without engaging the latter so that while with the embodiment of FIG. 5 there is no indication of the light value which is automatically set nevertheless the movable wall 158 is easier to turn since it does not carry with it the manually-engageable structure which is used for manually turning the wall 150. Of course, at the end of the exposure the spring 119 will return the wall 159 to the position indicated in FIG. 5 where the notch of the arm 153 is aligned with the pin 163.

In order to provide manual setting the operator will turn the lever 156 in opposition to the spring 16% so that the projection 163 enters in the notch of the arm 168, and then the lever 156 is turned together with the ring 153 in the direction of the arrow 2 so that the pin 163 by engaging the arm 16% will displace the latter and the wall 156 therewith in order to provide manual setting in the manner described above. The pin 163 will now of course be displaced along the slot 164, and when the index 1'71 is located in alignment with a selected graduation of the scale 1'72 the operator releases the lever 1% so that the spring 169 will turn the pin 163 into one of the detent notches 166, and thus the wall 150 will be retained in opposition to the spring 119 in the selected angular position. The length of the arm 163 is such that when the pin 1 53 is in one of the detent notches 166 part of this pin still extends into the notch of the arm 16d so that the wall 15%) cannot be displaced by the spring 119 from the selected position.

The control slots 153 and 154 of FIG. 5 are identical with the slots 1% and 1&9 of FIG. 4 and have the same relationship with respect to each other so that the turning of the wall 1% will produce the same diaphragm control as the turning of the wall 163, and moreover the edge of the wall 15% forms an exposure-time setting means identical with that formed by the edge of the wall 1'93 and having the same angular relationship with respect to the control slots 153 and 154 so that with the embodiment of FIG. 5 the angular turning of the movable wall 159 relative to the stationary wall will produce the same controls as the turning of the movable wall 1% with respect to the stationary wall 116 of FIG. 4. Thus, whenever the index 171 is aligned with a graduation of the scale section 172a of the scale 172, the operator will simultaneously set into the camera a diaphragm and exposure-time setting corresponding to the selected light value, and at this time it is the slot portions 1531; and 1541: which determine the size of the diaphragm while 115 the carnming edge portion 155a cooperates with the pin 1% to determine the exposure time. At this time the edge portion 155d of the Wall 15 9 prevents actuation of the bulb-exposure mechanism by preventing sufiicient movement of the element 1697 to take place, also as described above.

Of course, with the embodiment of FIG. 5 only the plate list) will turn during automatic setting of the camera and the index ll7ll will not indicate the light value to which the camera has been automatically set.

When the operator aligns the index 171 with a graduation of the central scale section 17211 of the scale 1'72, it is the slot portions 1530 and 31540 which determine the size of the aperture while the edge portion 1552 of the Wall is in alignment with the element lltli so that at this time the operator can make a bulb exposure, and in this case the influence on the exposure time provided by the cooperation of the edge portion 155]) with the element 1% is insignificant in comparison to the manual determination of the exposure time so that it is the manual determination of the exposure time which will control.

In the event that the operator decides to make an exposure with flash illumination, the operator will place the index 71 in alignment with a selected graduation of the scale section 1720 of the scale 172, so that in this case the size of the aperture will be controlled by the slot portion 1532 and 1542 while the exposure time will be controlled by the edge portion lc of the movable Wall 15 3, and this edge portion 1550 will maintain the exposure time constant at a value suitable for flash expo sure, as was pointed out above. At this time it is the edge portion 155g of the wall which confronts the element ltd? so that the operator cannot make a bulb exposure. During the transfer of the index 171 from the section Y'Zb to the section 1720 of the scale 172, the slot portions 153d and llfidd control the aperture for a relatively short angular turning of the wall 15%, so that in this way the largest aperture is maintained for a predetermined angular turning of the wall 15h, in order to guarantee that the edge portion 155g is located opposite the element 197 by the time the index 171 reaches the first graduation of the scale 1172c.

The embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5 are not necessarily limited to the details disclosed in the drawing and described above. For example, a diaphragm of the type shown in FIG. 3 may be used with the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, and of course in this case the control slots would be in the diaphragm blades while the pins would be on the rotary wall, as described above in connection with FIG. 3. Moreover, the sequence of the various scale portions and control curves can be changed and in addition Within each scale portion and within each control section of the control slots and the camming edge portions it is possible to provide any type of predetermined controls of the diaphragm and aperture, as pointed out above in connection with the other embodiments.

it will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of cameras differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in camera controls, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are in tended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

'F t. What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

i. In a camera, in combination, support means including a stationary wall located in a plane normal to the optical axis; a movable wall carried by said support means for movement relative to said stationary wall thereof; diaphragm blade means; connecting means connecting said blade means to one of said walls for movement relative thereto, pin-and-slot means connecting said blade means to the other of said walls and including at least one slot of a predetermined curvature which will position said blade means to provide an exposure aperture determined by the position of said movable wall relative to said stationary wall, said slot having different portions each of which provides substantially the same range of exposure apertures; and exposure-time setting means carried by said movable Wall for movement therewith and providing for each exposure aperture determined by the position of said movable wall a corresponding exposure time also determined by the position of said movable wall, said exposure-time setting means providing difierent exposure times for said different slot portions, respectively, so that more than one exposure time can be provided for each of a series of exposure apertures.

2. in a camera as recited in claim ll, manually-engageable means connected to said movable wall so that the latter may be manually positioned.

3. In a camera as recited in claim 1, light-responsive means operatively connected to said movable wall for moving the latter automatically through a range in which one of said slot portions determines the exposure apertures; and manually-operable means operatively connected to said movable wall for positioning the latter in said range manually instead of automatically at the option of the operator.

4. In a camera as recited in claim 1, pivot means mounting said blade means on said one of said walls for turning movement relative thereto 5. In a camera as recited in claim 1, guide means guiding said blade means on said one of said walls for shifting movement relative thereto.

6. In a camera as recited in claim ll, said exposuretime setting means being a cam means carried by said movable wall for movement therewith and forming an edge of said movable wall.

7. In a camera as recited in claim ll, said diaphragm blade means including a pair of diaphragm blades and said connecting means connecting said pair of blades to said stationary wall for turning movement relative thereto respectively about a pair of axes which are parallel to the optical axis, said pin-and-slot means connecting said pair of blades to said movable wall and including a pair of slots formed in said movable wall and a pair of pins fixed to said blades and respectively located in said slots, said movable wall being supported by said support means for turning movement about the optical axis.

8. In a camera as recited in claim 1, said diaphragm blade means including a pair of diaphragm blades and said connecting means connecting said blades to said stationary wall for shifting movement relative thereto while said blades remain perpendicular to the optical axis, said pin-and-slot means connecting said pair of blades to said movable wall and including a pair of slots respectively formed in said blades and a pair of pins fixedly carried by said movable wall and respectively located in said slots, said movable wall being supported by said support means for turning movement about the optical axis.

9. In a camera as recited in claim 1, means participating in the provision of bulb exposures, and said exposuretime setting means having a portion cooperating with said latter means to permit bulb exposures to be made in a given range of positions of said movable wall, said latter range of positions provided through one of said slot portions a complete range of exposure apertures.

10. In a camera as recited in claim 1, said exposure- 1'? time setting means including a portion which maintains the exposure time constant at a value suitable for flash exposures, and said slot having a portion which provides a complete range of exposure apertures while said portion of said exposure-time setting means maintains said constant exposure time.

11. In a camera as recited in claim 1, at least two of said slot portions providing the same aperture at the end of one of said two slot portions and at the beginning the other of said two slot portions, said end and beginning of said slot portions respectively adjoining each other.

12. In a camera as recited in claim 1, light-responsive means operatively connected to said movable wall for moving the latter automatically through one range of exposure apertures in which one of said slot portions determines the exposure apertures; and manually-operable means operatively connected to said movable wall for manually positioning the latter in at least another range of exposure apertures with different exposure times.

13. In a camera as recited in claim 12, said manually- 155 operable means comprising manually operable engaging means carried by said movable wall; stationary holding means, said manually operable engaging means cooperating with said stationary holding means for manually positioning said movable wall.

14. In a camera as recited in claim 12, said manua11yoperable means comprising manually operable engaging means carried by a movable setting means; stationary holding means; said manually operable engaging means cooperating with said movable wall and said stationary holding means for manually positioning said movable wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,969,007 1/61 Groger 9510 2,999,440 9/61 Nerwin 95-10 3,098,421 7/63 Ohara 9564 NORTON ANSI-1BR, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CAMERA, IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A STATIONARY WALL LOCATED IN A PLANE NORMAL TO THE OPTICAL AXIS; A MOVABLE WALL CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID STATIONARY WALL THEREOF; DIAPHRAGM BLADE MEANS; CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID BLADE MEANS TO ONE OF SAID WALLS FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, PIN-AND-SLOT MEANS CONNECTING SAID BLADE MEANS TO THE OTHER OF SAID WALLS AND INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE SLOT OF A PREDETERMINED CURVATURE WHICH WILL POSITION SAID BLADE MEANS TO PROVIDE AN EXPOSURE APERTURE DETERMINED BY THE POSITION OF SAID MOVABLE WALL RELATIVE TO SAID STATIONARY WALL, SAID SLOT HAVING DIFFERENT PORTIONS EACH OF WHICH PROVIDES SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME RANGE OF EXPOSURE APERTURES; AND EXPOSURE-TIME SETTING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID MOVABLE WALL FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND PROVIDING FOR EACH EXPOSURE APERTURE DETERMINED BY THE POSITION OF SAID MOVABLE WALL A CORRESPONDING EXPOSURE TIME ALSO DETERMINED BY THE POSITION OF SAID MOVABLE WALL, SAID EXPOSURE-TIME SETTING MEASN PROVIDING DIFFERENT EXPOSURE TIMES FOR SAID DIFFERENT SLOT PORTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, SO THAT MORE THAN ONE EXPOSURE CAN BE PROVIDED FOR EACH OF A SERIES OF EXPOSURE APERTURES. 